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I'm in need of a gig bag for a Guild X170t archtop guitar. It has a Bigsby on it.
Any recommendations for a bag that will protect it but still weigh less than it's hard case? The guitar is 16 5/8 wide and 2 1/2 high + the height of the Bigsby.
Suggestions?
Thanks
Charley
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06-18-2022 01:38 PM
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Road Runner makes a pretty good one for that size; I carry my Gretsch arch tops in it, and it has a detachable bag for cables and strings and tools and such.
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Not Cheap but Continental Reunion Blues, or Mono are my choices!
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Mondo and RB both have mid and high price options. Is the higher price ones really necessary?
Originally Posted by jads57
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I would go with Reunion Blues Continental Voyager 100%
RB Continental Voyager – Reunion Blues Gig Bags
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Protec makes really nice and sturdy gig bags at a reasonable price.
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The Gator Jumbo will fit that, and I like mine a lot.
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I’ll second the Reunion Blues recommendation. I’ve got a couple of them. They hold up really well for years and they look great.
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Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions! Originally Posted by Jonathan0996
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I have used the Mono M80 (dreadnought) bag ($249) in the past, and it has worked very well – mine is currently in use by a young friend who has a 16" Eastman archtop. Originally Posted by charleyrich99
I find that the Mono Sleeve ($179) works just as well for me, and even has some advantages. I have my Eastman Pagelli 2 archtop in it. This guitar is asymmetrical, being 16" across, but 17" on a slight diagonal (it's the pic in my avatar). I don't know if your guitar will fit, but since it's not a hard case, it might be worth trying.
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It depends on the hazards to which you expose it. I use a Mono M80 Vertigo Acoustic for the archtop I play on most jazz gigs. The bag is much more protective than the lower tier products. It has a thick, water resistant molded “sole” that covers the entire bottom, with an internal well for the end pin / strap button. Even a drop straight onto the end is much less likely to cause damage than in an ordinary gig bag. The padding is thicker and the neck holding system better than it is in the entry level bags. The covering and zippers are very weather resistant and still look & feel new after months of gigging with it. I think it’s well worth the money. Originally Posted by charleyrich99
The top level Gator ProGo bags are also excellent and highly protective (at commensurate cost). I think the added protection is well worth the cost if taken outside your home often. It’s insurance and it’s a fraction of the guitar’s value. One repair you don’t need saves far more than the extra cost of the better bag. But I don’t think it’s necessary for simple home storage and infrequent casual use out, as long as you’re careful about where and how you put / open / handle / use it.
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Outside of flying (case you have to check your guitar in the baggage) I prefer the lower priced rbx reunion blues bags to their more expensive models, as they are lighter and they don't have a clip to the end of the belts (I usually carry the guitar on one shoulder, and I've had clips open couple of times - not on the reunion blues - so I prefer fixed belts).
I have the electric and the small acoustic/16 inch archtop one. Looking to buy the 335 semi hollow rbx, but sadly Reunion blues have been unavailable in Europe for months now..
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Thanks. I may go with your suggestion. Originally Posted by Alter
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I really like my Gator ProGo's. Two of them, for years now. Prefer it over the other boutique brands, including the Mono that I had. Super protection, lots of storage space. On one the handle cracked after a few years, they sent me a brand new one free of all charges. Awesome service.
Last edited by Woody Sound; 06-19-2022 at 10:03 PM.
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Sometimes cheap is better, but when an expensive or loved guitar is involved. Don’t try and cut corners imo!
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Reunion Blues Continental Voyager. Mono Creator M80. Blue Heron Cases https://www.blueheroncases.com/soft-...ic-guitar-case
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Series: Pro-Go Guitar – Gator Cases Originally Posted by Woody Sound
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Thanks for all the great suggestions.
My Guild X170t archtop, 2.5" in depth has a Bigsby which adds about 1.5" in height when compressed. That will make a tight fit on most of these sized for semi hollow guitars. I wonder if I should look at the dreadnought cases. Is that what everyone is using for archtops?
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My Mono M80 Vertigo is a dreadnought bag and it fits my 16” perfectly. I’m not sure the Bigsby would slide easily against the inside of the top without eventually wearing or tearing it, because the Vertigo opens diagonally for removal upwards while standing on the floor. My bridge top does rub a bit on the way in and out (so far with no sign of wear after a few months) but there’s no pressure on it once it’s fully in the bag. If you can’t try one first, the standard opening bag is probably a safer bet. Originally Posted by charleyrich99
My older gig bags for 16” archtops were also dread sized.
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My Gator dread-size bag holds my 16" guitars well, and will take the 17" if I remove the end pad which is held by Velcro. it will easily hold a full-depth guitar, so a 2.5" (at the rims, I assume) with Bigsby should be no problem adt all. I don't own a semi-sized bag to compare. If a bag is too deep, it's easy enough to add some padding, even some bubble wrap, to the bottom for fill. If it's too shallow, I don't know of an adequate fix.
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In my experience, Mono and Reunion Blues are the best brands today.
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I wouldn't let a guitar sit directly against any bubble wrap, even for a few days or less. Nitro finishes will undergo a chemical reaction with something in the plastic that results in this: Originally Posted by sgosnell
I suspect that poly will not do this, but I've never seen anything written about finishes other than lacquer. Without knowing for sure that it's OK, I wouldn't let any plastic wrap of any kind contact any guitar directly for any period of time. If you have to fill out the interior of a case or gig bag, put the filler beneath the lining. It's "supposed to" be OK to cover the guitar with a cloth, but I wouldn't even take that chance.
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I put the bubble wrap inside a tee shirt, and I don't leave the guitar in the case (or bag) beyond the trip. It's a short-term fix for what should be a short-term problem.
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( time for a classic ... )
Bic Mac ?
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My family was generous enough to order me the Mono Vertigo bag for my Holst on Father's Day -- just arrived today! This is the "semi-hollowbody" size, and my guitar is 16".
Very nice bag -- solid and light-weight! I was not sure about the "top-loading" design, but I was reassured by other owners here in other gig bag discussions that it worked; on first try, it makes sense, and the guitar is certainly secure. As much as I baby my gear on gigs, I have put a guitar in a "regular" bag and then picked it up without zipping it!!
[fortunately without going too far and damaging, though!] This may help my rare carelessness ...
Some pics:
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